CONTENTS

Introduction The DSTA Leadership Model Leadership Integrity Passion Development of People and the Team Drive to Excel Decisiveness Delivery of Results The DSTA Mission, Vision, Values The DSTA Employee Value Proposition The Singapore Public Service Core Values Acknowledgements 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 19 20

This booklet is intended as a guide to enhance leadership performance at the level of Programme Managers and Senior Managers.

INTRODUCTION
Leaders are not born; they are developed. Leaders become better by learning on the job. They learn from other leaders, share experiences, reflect and internalise the leadership traits that are essential to their success.
Around the world, leading organisations invest in leadership development because the quality of the leadership drives the performance of any organisation. In addition, they have in place clear leadership frameworks to nurture the desired leadership traits. Likewise, DSTA has an established leadership model. Developed in 2003, the model focuses on Leadership Integrity, Passion, the Development of People and the Team, the Drive to Excel, Decisiveness, and the Delivery of Results. These are further elaborated in this booklet. The DSTA Leadership Model is similar to those of other organisations because the fundamentals of good leadership are universal. However, our model is tailored to DSTAs unique requirements with an emphasis on the traits that fulfil our specific needs. A number of Programme Managers helped to put this booklet together. As voices from the middle level, they were asked to describe the traits a leader should have. Produced with the Programme Managers and Senior Managers in mind, this booklet is intended as a resource that articulates the DSTA Leadership Model specific to you as leaders at the middle level. As front-line decision makers responsible for acquiring equipment and systems and providing operation and support services, you play a critical role in the organisation. Primarily, this resource serves as a training supplement to the Advanced Systems Engineering and Management (ASEM) milestone course, but it is also intended as a ready reference for sharing and reflection beyond the course. For this to become an effective training resource, the contents will be revised from time to time to incorporate the different views and comments contributed by ASEM participants or members from the line. Revisions may also be necessary to keep pace with changes that will inevitably occur in the organisation over time.

THE DSTA LEADERSHIP MODEL

1. Leadership Integrity 2. Passion 3. Development of People and the Team 4. Drive to Excel 5. Decisiveness 6. Delivery of Results
These attributes relate to you, your relationship with others, and your ability to fulfil the responsibilities entrusted to you.

ATTRIBUTES FROM THE DSTA LEADERSHIP MODEL

The six attributes are further broken down into individual descriptors. These descriptors are specific to Programme Managers and Senior Managers and relate to competencies or behavioural traits.

ead Tru er D Eth st sh an eve Va ic an ip d lo lu al d In es B Re te Sta the pm eh sp g Co ff T e av ec rit Em ac En ea nt io t y hi ga m of ur po n g Pe w g/ em er M e op m en nt le en to t rin P g D ass riv En ion Dr e Pu erg Co ive to E Em rp y Fl m xc ot ose ex m io el ib itm na ili e l M ty nt a at nd ur D A ity da ec pt Pro isiv ab Inn bl en ili Co o em e ty m vat S ss m io ol un n vi ng D ic el at i io Foc ve n Bi u ry g s of Pi Re ct ur su e T lts hi nk in g

LEADERSHIP INTE GRITY

Of all the attributes, leadership integrity is the most important. It is a veto factor. You cannot assume a position of leadership if you do not show integrity in your conduct or in your relationship with others. Leadership Integrity can be demonstrated through: Trust and Respect Ethical Behaviour Values

Ethical Behaviour
i. Be mindful not to use your position to influence or seek personal benefits ii. Act in a manner that is just, professional and consistent with the values of the organisation

Trust and Respect

i. Be there for your team when the going gets tough

ii. Have confidence that your team iv. Imbue your team members with members will keep their commitments the right ethics and hold them and promises accountable for their behaviour iii. Be open and honest when managing your team iv. Respect an individuals self-worth and dignity

iii. Challenge unethical practices and set them right

Values

i. Show courage

ii. Embrace, promote and act in Respect requires a degree of self-control. Accord team members the respect due to accordance with the Core Values of the Singapore Public Service and the them as individuals. Do not cause your colleagues to lose self-esteem through DSTA Mission, Vision and Values your words and actions. iii. Align yourself with the DSTA Employee Value Proposition

An individuals principles and values are especially important when no one is keeping a watchful eye.

Do the right thing in the right manner.

PASSION
Passion is the strong enthusiasm and devotion you bring to the job when you believe in what you are doing. Passion can be demonstrated through: Energy Purpose Emotional Maturity

Energy
i. Show enthusiasm for your job and imbue the same enthusiasm in your team ii. Stay positive and confident in the face of stress and uncertainty iii Inspire yourself and your team iv. Engage and excite others with new ideas and solutions

Emotional Maturity
i. Respect the feelings and opinions of others ii. Listen to various points of views without becoming emotional and defensive iii. Challenge ideas and not the person; do not get personal iv. Be comfortable with holding difficult conversations such as delivering bad news and handling disagreements v. Be stable and demonstrate self- control in the face of challenges and difficulties vi. Be willing to accept responsibilities and learn from mistakes

Purpose
i. Develop a deeper sense of purpose and bring greater meaning to your work ii. Align your goals with that of the organisations iii. Adopt a long-term perspective; it will help you understand how your responsibilities relate to the larger purpose of the organisation iv. Be steadfast when you are confronted with challenges and opposition

I inspire myself and my team.

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DEVELOPMENT O F PEOPLE AND THE TEAM

A leader believes in developing people and building teamwork. As a leader, you should sincerely care for your team members as you have a role in helping them advance in their careers. A leader recognises that building teamwork is important because success can only come when the team is working together to share and contribute different points of view. People and the team can be developed by: Staff Engagement Coaching/Mentoring Empowerment

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Coaching/Mentoring
i. Guide team members along in their jobs (Coaching) ii. Guide team members along in their professional development (Mentoring)

Staff Engagement
i. Communicate, manage, and take care of your teams feedback, needs and well-being ii. Show genuine concern for your teams welfare iii. Be willing to confront your team and tell unpleasant truths when necessary

Its all about balance.

Empowerment
i. Avoid micro-managing; show trust in your team members, give freedom and do not undermine their authority

Your staff should enjoy coming to work every day. Its not entirely hands-off!

ii. Assign and delegate work effectively by assessing if your team is ready to perform independently iii. Strike a balance between the desire to control and the need to give your team the space to grow

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DRIVE TO EXCEL
To have the drive to excel is to strive for excellence continually, deliver the best and set high standards of performance. This can be demonstrated through the following: Drive Commitment Flexibility and Adaptability

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Drive
i. Show stamina and vigour to motivate yourself and your team to achieve a high standard of performance ii. Show sustenance and determination in the long run iii. Set goals and attain them

Commitment
i. Navigate through pitfalls and failures and stay on course ii. Show perseverance and resolve iii. Display a willingness to devote personal time, energy and resources in order to achieve high standards

Flexibility and Adaptability

i. Have the courage to deviate from the status quo ii. Be open-minded and resourceful when trying to decide the best approach to meet the goals of your team

Tailor your leadership style according to your team. Its not one size fits all!

iii. Be willing to acknowledge and accept ideas that are better than yours iv. Be flexible and adaptive to changing circumstances

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DECISIVENESS
To be decisive is to provide clear guidance and be willing to make difficult decisions. Decisiveness can be demonstrated through the following: Problem Solving Innovation Communication

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Problem Solving
i. Be able to identify, define and solve problems ii. Apply creative and critical thinking skills iii. Anticipate issues and opportunities by thinking ahead

Innovation
i. Present novel perspectives and possibilities ii. Break from the old paradigms iii. Think out of the box

Communication
i. Communicate to influence ii. Present technical ideas in a manner that can be understood by a non-technical audience iii. Be an inspiration to those around you

It is important to create a safe and open environment that encourages creativity.

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DELIVERY OF RE SULTS
Performance is at the heart of a leaders job. It is not just about what is to be delivered but also how it is delivered. Results can be delivered through the following: Focus Big Picture Thinking

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Focus
i. Tackle issues with the end in mind ii. Make the right trade-offs between short-term objectives and long-term goals iii. Be able to identify the crux of an issue iv. Set realistic milestones and actionable plans; then monitor progress and adapt plans accordingly v. Understand the strategic intent behind a project and steer it to meet the intended outcome

Big Picture Thinking

i. Provide context ii. Communicate the big picture to your team to motivate and encourage them iii. Communicate strategic intent iv. Make decisions and understand how they can have higher-level implications v. Bring cross-disciplinary knowledge to bear on issues and opportunities vi. Think beyond the daily grind

Take a step back and see things from a different perspective.

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THE
Mission:

DSTA MV V
Values:
We build capabilities, we deliver solutions; and we make a difference, every time. Strategic Partnership - We value our partnership with the SAF. We listen. We empower our teams Teamwork - We value to achieve, to deliver, teamwork and mutual support. and to excel. We achieve a healthy surplus without raising cost to the SAF. Respect - We value every individual and his contribution. Integrity - We act with professionalism and integrity. Knowledge sharing and trust - We promote trust, openness and knowledge sharing.

THE

DSTA

EMPLOYEE VALUE PROPOSITION

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We harness and exploit science and technology for the defence and security of Singapore. We do this through: A clear focus on the needs of our partner, the SAF.

Comprehensive investment in our We are an employer of people towards fulfilling choice. careers in a learning environment. Every day of work is an exciting adventure. A purposeful alignment of our processes with Everyone enjoys coming the mission. to work and going home.

DSTA is the place for defence technology and engineering work that covers a diverse portfolio of military platforms, weapons, IT, command and control systems, defence construction and related services. We develop and support cutting-edge capabilities. Our strengths lie in the conceptualising, design, implementation and life-cycle support of large-scale complex systems of systems. Recognising that people are the key asset behind our unique capabilities, DSTA is committed to help our people realise their full potential with careers that:

Promise Learning and Growth Opportunities

Every Body Matters. We will provide you with challenges, professional satisfaction and growth. We will develop you to have the attitudes, knowledge and skills for life-long employability. You will have opportunities to assume responsibilities and take on challenges early in your career.

Offer Competitive Rewards and Recognition

You can expect rewards for and

Provide Technical and Business recognition of your work to be Leadership competitive with the best practices
You will have opportunities to acquire competencies in multi- disciplinary fields and provide the technical and business leadership for Singapore in defence and national security. of high-performing organisations in the market place.

Vision:
We are proud to be a trusted partner of the SAF. We are the technology strike team; we constantly surprise and delight the SAF.

Excellence - We dare to We are the pride of our dream, aim to excel, owner. and have the courage to We have collegial act. business partners who enhance our The DSTA Values are technological encapsulated in the capabilities. acronym STRIKE.

Contribute to National Defence and Security

Working in DSTA is a calling, an honour, and a commitment to the long-term defence and security of Singapore. Through your work, you play a meaningful role in contributing to national defence and security.

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THE SINGAPORE PUBLIC SERVICE

CORE VALUES
Service
Service defines the mission of public officers. The Singapore Public Service exists to serve the people of Singapore. Public Officers should always do what is right and reasonable; with empathy and respect for the people that we serve, while always bearing the overall interest of our nation and people in mind.

Acknowledgements Ang Jer Meng Roy Chan Hsiung Wei Henry Chang Weng Foo Ho Shuet Ying Koh Jin Hou James Kwok Chee Khan Alex Lee Siang Meng Leong See Sum Leow Aik Siang Roger Lim Tow Hong Mui Whye Kee Ng Kok Keng Ong Chin Ann Damien Pang Tee Kin Phua Boon Chung Quek Bee Tin Joseph Tan Tow Hua Tey Hwee Choo Wong Jenn Loong DSTA College Human Resource Corporate Communications

Integrity
Integrity serves as the core of our beliefs and is the underlying foundation upon which the mission, goals and beliefs of the Public Service stated within the corporate statement are built. This is briefly mentioned in Our Customers part of the corporate statement where we are held to high standards of integrity. Integrity is also closely linked to our key public governance principle of incorruptibility. Integrity enables us to safeguard the sovereignty, independence, security and prosperity of Singapore, and uphold justice and equality. Furthermore, the Singapore Public Service commands a high level of trust among our citizens and foreign investors because of our integrity. Thus, it is imperative that the Public Service maintains this high standard of integrity in our conduct.

Excellence
Excellence describes the outcomes of public service as envisaged in Our Goals of the corporate statement. In order to achieve these goals, public officers must manifest such excellence within themselves. Staff development is an important aspect of striving towards excellence for the public service. This is explicitly stated in Our Staff section of the corporate statement. Thus, public officers must possess a mindset for excellence that strives to be the best that one can be in his or her role.
(reproduced from www.psd.gov.sg/PublicService/CoreValue/)

No part of this booklet may be reproduced without prior permission obtained from DSTA, and due acknowledgement given to DSTA. (Produced February 2010)